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We Plug To You... Cris Cab - Echo Boom

Reviewed by
Nee Fe Mi

It's bad enough that this is only second article of the year and February is already upon us - makes me shudder at how fast it's all going. Before you know it, the year will be over again but thankfully, that will come with so much good music for us to share with you on a weekly basis and I am very much excited about that, aren't you?

This artist is no stranger on here as I had the pleasure of reviewing his debut EP titled Forewordlast year. Having already made it into our list of The Best New & Emerging Music twice so far this year - a list that I am sure, he will be on a couple more times - I would like to re-introduce to you to Miami native Singer/SongwriterCris Cabwith his new mixtape titled Echo Boom presented by none other than the Billionaire Boy's Club.

Last year, the young singer was doing covers on YouTube, most notable of which was his refix of Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" and then he was introduced to Pharell Williams, who immediately took him under his wings. The results of that tutelage if you will is the mixtape Echo Boom with stellar features from Wyclef Jean (yes, you read that right), Melanie Fiona, Shaggy, Mavado, Daytona, Marc Roberge of O.A.R and of course Pharell Williams. Echo Boom is filled with all original songs unlike Cab's previous project, the Foreword EP with the 18-year old guitarist, pianist and lyricist also serving as producer on some of the songs on Echo Boom. The kid just straight up delivers on this which makes you wonder why it was not put out as an album, rather than as a mixtape. It doesn't matter because like Drake's So Far Gone, I think this is that mixtape that will propel Cris to great heights. You don't believe me? Here, listen for yourself...

"I wanna know, I wanna know, what turns you on. I wanna know, I wanna know, the night is young."

I was so afraid that him being a prodigy of Pharell would see him become more of a Pop artist and take him away from what makes him unique - his Reggae roots. I was happily surprised then that not one of his songs could even be considered Pop, not like there is anything wrong with Pop but we have enough of that. This is the first young Reggae artist in the Modern/Open era it seems like, except you are counting Sean Kingston (emphasis on the word young by the way). But I digress, what you just heard is my favorite track on this mixtape and it's titled "Turn You On" featuring Shaggy and Melanie Fiona. That bass is simply glorious and the saxophone right there at the end does it for me. The fusion of all those instruments just makes for beautiful music. Shaggy makes this song so legit, with his ad-libs and harmonizing and that unique voice of his and miss Melanie Fiona? Well there is no denying how lovely her voice is. Its a great song...

"Yea look who's laughing now, as i pummeled them to the ground"

This 88-Keys (of Locksmith)- produced song is just so lush with the guitar strings and the snare drum, making me want to dance. Titled "Gypsy's Boulevard", this is one of those songs that proves to me that Cab is not just infusing Reggae rhythms into his song but actually really understands it and has studied the art from the likes of Bob Marley (think "I Shot the Sheriff") and that is quite impressive. You can tell that he was influenced a lot from his working with Wyclef, Mavado and Shaggy - three of the best Reggae/Dancehall artists to ever do it - because the quality of his work has greatly improved from his debut EP. Songs like this always tell a story so they are worth paying attention to and in this, he seems to be beating up some people. I doubt Cris could actually fight in real life, but that's the thing about songs, you can be whoever you want to be in a song.

"So cross your finger's, you don't know what you've got into, see in the dark, she'll break your heart and move on right through"

It's always hard for me to pick the last song, given that all the songs are great tracks, especially on Echo Boom. Do I give you a song with no features so you hear what the artist is made of or one with features, because there's just something about the collaboration? Decisions, Decisions! So how about I give you a bonus track then and make this the third song rather than the last. Excited? What you just heard is "Cross Your Fingers" produced by Malay and this you will have to call Reggae-fusion - a mixture of Reggae with Hip-Hop, Drum and Bass and maybe even some Rock and definitely a hint of the Blues with Cab's vocal stylings there. Its a great song with great production as it starts of with the horns, the synths come in and then to begin the chorus, comes in the bass. Such lovely arrangements...

"We are, we young with our own direction. We work hard, for our plan's protection and so far, we're the number selection. Not Bragging"

Had to put a song produced by Mr Pharell Williams, of course. That right there is titled "What Can't We Do (Here We Go Again)" and it features Daytona. More than the great production and the great collaboration, this song is a song of upliftment and encouragement for the youths out there and this is why I love it. He is not talking about getting money and buying cars and getting girls. He is telling his youths, his peers, this generation and the one behind it that you can be whatever you want to be, that you have something to contribute to the society. Hence the very apt title of this album "Echo Boom" which refers to the Generation Y. Daytona also really holds his own on this song, with a very apt verse to give the song a little edge.

It wasn't any easier to pick a bonus track, just in case you were wondering and I must tell you that downloading this mixtape will be worth it. You want to hear "Rihanna's Gun" which features Wyclef Jean and Mavado. You also want to hear " Going Home" which features Marc Roberge of O.A.R and you definitely want to hear - if you haven't already - "Put in Work" produced by Wyclef Jean. In addition to the four songs I've put on here, there are still five other great songs on this mixtape you want to listen to.

Echo Boom is that quality music and it is all around impressive in terms of production, vocals, lyrics, uniqueness and collaborations. I simply cannot fault one thing about this. Cris Cab shines, no one overshadows him to his testament and I see a great future for the 18-year old. Let me guarantee you this, Cris Cab will dominate the airwaves this year and you don't want to feel left out. So just go ahead and download this FREE mixtape down below...

1 comment:

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